Chapter 25: Hearts together as one

Ken and Wormmon had just finished destroying more dark towers and were resting. Ken approached one of the remaining dark towers and stared at it.

Wormmon: "Ken? What is it?"

Ken: "How could this turn into a Digimon?"

Wormmon: "Ken?"

Ken: "I don't understand… my memories and knowledge… it's fading… it's getting worse… if it were like before… maybe I would be able to understand it."

Wormmon: "Ken… you're not… you're not thinking of becoming the Kaiser again… right..?"

Ken looked to Wormmon with a slightly shocked expression. His expression quickly softened as he had a small sad smile on his face.

Ken: "No, Wormmon. I don't want to ever become the Kaiser again. I promise you that. When I was the Kaiser… it felt like I could understand anything… and yet… I couldn't even understand the most important thing…"

Wormmon: "Ken…"

Ken: "There's only one thing I understand about this now. These… towers are what I built. All of this is because of me."

Wormmon: "I'm sorry, Ken. If only I had been stronger, then this wouldn't have happened to you."

Ken had a shocked and sad expression as he kneeled down in front of Wormmon and hugged him.

Ken: "Wormmon… don't take the blame for this. I'm at fault…"

Wormmon: "Ken… let's restore the Digital World together, ok?"

Ken: "Of course, thank you, Wormmon."

Wormmon: "I'll get stronger. Strong enough to protect you. Just watch me bring down all the dark towers!"

Ken smiled at Wormmon as he brought out his laptop to bring them back to the Human World.

Koushiro's office

Koushiro and Tentomon were eating their lunch that Koushiro's mother had prepared for them. Suddenly, Koushiro tablet started to beep.

Tentomon: "Your tablet?"

Koushiro: "That's odd… that thing hasn't went off while scanning for a long time."

Koushiro got up and took a look at the tablet, causing him to gasp.

Koushiro: "It's a major energy spike. Coming from the desert? What could be there?"

Koushiro and Tentomon looked at each other for a few moments before Koushiro gasped.

Koushiro: "Could it be..?"

Tentomon: "Koushiro?"

Koushiro: "This area… it's the desert that they fought Chimeramon at…"

Tentomon: "Which means that it's the Kaiser's base?"

Koushiro: "Right, we need to contact Ichijouji and the rest immediately."

Knowledge: "Daisuke, I need you, Miyako and Iori to get to the Kaiser's base immediately."

Courageous Friendship: "What's happening?"

Knowledge: "There's a large energy spike coming from the base. I'm going to try get in contact with Ken, if possible, get close to the base but don't investigate it by yourself."

Sincere Love: "Should we call Hikari and Takeru?"

Knowledge: "No, they are practicing with Yamato's band right now and I don't want to drag them away from it. They should be done soon though, so if we need it I'll call them in."

Reliable Knowledge: "So we just have to get to the base and observe it, correct Koushiro?"

Knowledge: "Yes. I'm going to try and call Ken now and see if he knows what's going on."

Courageous Friendship: "Got it."

The new Digidestined were rushing towards the desert on their Digimon, who were in their armor forms, with Iori and Armadimon on Holsmon. Holsmon was close to the ground such that the Digidestined could talk to each other without using the earpieces.

Daisuke: "I wonder what caused the energy spike…"

Iori: "Koushiro said it was an energy spike at the Kaiser's base, it is possible that he is setting a trap for us."

Daisuke: "I don't think that's right…"

Iori: "It could be. We don't know whether the Kaiser is really on our side or not."

Miyako: "Iori, relax a little. I'm sure Ken isn't responsible for this… directly… but I do think we should be cautious."

Iori: "Fine."

Knowledge: "Alright, you guys are close to the base. Don't get too close. The energy coming from it is immense… if this continues… a large-scale explosion is going to happen…"

Courageous Friendship: "An explosion?!"

Sincere Love: "How do we stop it?"

Knowledge: "I'm trying to call Ken, just hold on for a moment."

Reliable Knowledge: "Got it, Koushiro."

"Should we really wait here? This could be a trick by the Kaiser. He could be trying to wipe us out."

Ken and Wormmon were in Ken's room with a small slice of cake.

Wormmon: "This is really good, Ken."

Ken: "Yeah, Mama said the cake is from a famous store and we had to try it."

A small click was heard, and Wormmon started to look worried.

Ken: "Wormmon? What's wrong?"

Ken turned around and saw that his computer screen had turned on by itself and was currently displaying the same woman who had been in his bedroom.

Woman: "Hello, how have you been?"

Ken: "It's you!"

Wormmon: "Ken, don't bother with her!"

Woman: "Oh? Am I not welcome?"

Ken: "Who are you? What do you know about me?"

Woman: "So many questions, sigh, it was better when you were the Kaiser."

Ken: "Why did you suddenly appear? What is your plan with the Digital World?"

Woman: "Why do you care? It's not like this is your business anymore, is it?"

Ken: "How can you say it's not my business?!"

Woman: "sigh, 'Why did I become the Digimon Kaiser?' That's what you really want to know, isn't it?"

Ken's phone began to ring.

Wormmon: "Ken, your phone."

Woman: "I suppose I could tell you the answer to your question, if you really want to know."

Ken: "Tell me."

Woman: "sigh, you're such an idiot, seriously what did he see in you? Oh well, it could have been anyone after all, just as long as the dark towers were built properly. It's just you were easy to exploit. Still, maybe we should have chosen someone smarter, then maybe we would still have a Kaiser."

Ken: "So you used me?"

Woman: "Are you that dense? I just said that!"

Wormmon picked up the ringing phone.

Wormmon: "Hello, Ichijouji Ken is currently unavailable. Please call back another time."

Knowledge: "Wormmon, I need to speak to Ken right now. It's an emergency. We need Ken's help. Also, you shouldn't be answering Ken's phone."

Wormmon: "Oh, Izumi Koushiro... alright."

Woman: "Humans are so easy to manipulate, you're a prime example of that."

Ken: "Why did I become the Digimon Kaiser?!"

Woman: "I just answered that, didn't I?"

Ken: "I refuse to believe that answer! It can't be true! There has to be something else! That answer doesn't convince me!"

Woman: "The answer doesn't have to convince you. It's the truth and it's your choice to believe it or not. But let me warn you, you're getting on my nerves. You don't want to do that."

Wormmon: "Ken! Ken! Izumi Koushiro is on the phone! He says they need your help!"

Ken turned around and swiftly grabbed the phone from Wormmon.

Knowledge: "Ken? Do you know anything about the Kaiser's base? We need your help, there is a large energy spike coming from it."

Ken was glaring at the woman as he heard the information.

Woman: "What's with that look?"

Ken: "Got it. I'll be on my way… you were just trying to distract me."

Woman: "Took you long enough to figure out. I don't recommend coming by the way. It would be a shame to make the casualties increase."

Ken glared at the woman.

Woman: "I would be more than glad to increase them, but I don't think you would want that, so I thought I'd be kind to you for once. Don't come."

The computer turned off and the screen became black. Ken quickly rushed over to it and turned it back on and started up a Digital Gate.

Wormmon quickly did his best to type a message on Ken's phone for his parents, before going over to Ken, who had his Digivice in hand.

Ken: "Ready, Wormmon?"

Wormmon: "Of course!"

Ken arrived in the Digital World a short distance away from the base.

"Wormmon Evolution! Stingmon!"

Stingmon: "Let's go, Ken."

Ken nodded as Stingmon picked him up.

Ken: "I thought I was the greatest when I was the Kaiser. I let it get to my head. That's right, I was lonely after Osamu's death, and I chose to run away from it all. That's why… That's why it's my duty to end all of this!"

They flew over to the base quickly where they saw the Digidestined waiting.

Ken: "We're here!"

Daisuke: "Ichijouji. I knew you would come!"

Woman: "A shame, I even gave you a warning."

The Digidestined turned to see the woman standing there. She quickly grabbed a few strands of her hair and sent them into multiple dark towers. The dark towers all spiraled into one another, and a large silhouette was seen above.

Daisuke: "Veemon, let's do this!"

Miyako: "You too, Hawkmon!"

Iori: "Armadimon, I'm counting on you!"

"Veemon Evolution! ExVeemon!"

"Hawkmon Evolution! Aquilamon!"

"Armadimon Evolution! Ankylomon!"

The large silhouette landed on the ground, revealing it to be an Okuwamon.

ExVeemon: "X-Laser!"

Aquilamon: "Blast Laser!"

Ankylomon: "Tail Hammer!"

The attacks hit the Okuwamon, but it remained unfazed. It quickly slammed its claws into Ankylomon's side, causing Ankylomon to crash in front of the Digidestined. He reverted to Armadimon.

Daisuke: "Dammit! Is this an ultimate Digimon?"

Ken: "Stingmon, can you handle this?"

Stingmon: "I'll do my best for you, Ken."

Okuwamon slammed it's claw into Aquilamon, causing him to revert and land in front of the Digidestined with Armadimon.

Stingmon: "Spiking Finish!"

Stingmon managed to hit Okuwamon's claw, which was just about to hit ExVeemon.

ExVeemon: "Thanks, Stingmon."

Ken: "All of you should get out of here."

Daisuke: "What?"

Ken: "There's no time left. Stingmon and I will handle this."

Stingmon: "Ken is right, everyone, get away from here."

ExVeemon flew next to Stingmon and slammed his body against Okuwamon's claw that was just about to hit Stingmon.

ExVeemon: "Don't be absurd. If we're running away, you're coming with us."

Stingmon: "I can't do that."

Daisuke: "Don't be crazy Ichijouji. What are you intending to do? What's your plan against this beast?"

Ken: "I refuse to let anyone suffer anymore because of what I did… no more! It ends here."

Stingmon: "How could I leave here? I wasn't strong enough to stop Ken."

Ken: "I want to restore the Digital World with my hands. But everything is just getting worse. I can't stand it! Everywhere I go I bring destruction. I refuse to bring anymore pain to the people close to me!"

Stingmon: "It was my weakness that made Ken become like this. If there is anyway for me to atone for this…"

Ken: "It doesn't matter what happens to me!"

Daisuke's fist curled up in rage as he swung it at Ken.

Daisuke: "You idiot! How can you say any of that?!"

ExVeemon: "Stingmon! Don't be stupid!"

Daisuke: "Ken, think of the people you would hurt if you were gone! Your family just got you back! And me, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I left you here!"

ExVeemon: "Stingmon, if you continue down this path… you will be letting Ken die. You think you can just let your partner die like that?!"

Daisuke: "You might be ok with dying, but there are a lot of people that aren't!"

Ken: "Motomiya…"

Daisuke: "Ken! Live!"

ExVeemon: "Its our duty as their partners to protect them, no matter what! If you want to atone, you can't just throw you and your partner's life away like that!"

Stingmon: "I can't… I can't protect Ken if I'm gone…"

Daisuke: "If you die now, how can you help anything in the Digital World?! I refuse to let you."

Ken: "Y-You're... right... I… I don't want to die yet… there are still things I must do… and… I don't want my family to be sad again… I can't die here!"

Just then, a light began to shine from both Daisuke and Ken's Digivices. And they could feel an odd sensation.

"Is that… a second heartbeat..? Is this Ken's heartbeat?"

"This pulse… is it Daisuke's?"

ExVeemon and Stingmon began to glow as well as they slowly came closer to each other.

"ExVeemon! Stingmon! Jogress Evolution! Paildramon!"

Ken/Daisuke: "Paildramon?"

Miyako: "They combined..?"

Iori: "Jogress Evolution…"

Paildramon got into a fighting stance as he stared down Okuwamon.

Paildramon: "Now then, let's do this you overgrown bug!"

That's the end of this chapter. I'll be uploading the next chapter later/tomorrow. Currently doing my best to edit it. :D